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DIY Pallet Lamp (Rustic)

About: In Love with design, engineering and science. Please check out my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Far-Reach-154200654988457/?fref=ts Feel free to request a project and ill see what I can do. I also se...
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What inspired me?

Designing around up cycling and reusing, I love to complete projects orientated around pallet wood. This is a huge modern movement that incorporates rustic pallet wood and turning it into new and exciting products and even art.

Needing a new lamp and an excuse to make something, I quickly drew out a simple lamp design. I wanted a angle poise feel to it. So, I settled with a design and thought out some measurements.

What will you need?

- pallet wood (new or old)

- Jig saw or another type of wood saw

- ruler, tri-square and pencil

- 4mm drill bit

- 10mm drill bit

- Drill driver

- 50mm screw

- 75mm screw

- 3 washers, 3 nuts and 3 bolts (at least 45mm long)

- adjustable spanner

- Dark wood stain and cloth

- LED circuit, battery or USB

- three cable ties

Step 1: Step 1 : Cutting

Before I started to cut the pieces to shape, I made sure each piece would fit onto a single plank by using my pencil and ruler to trace out each piece on the plank. After a few adjustments with the positioning i clamped the wood up and began to cut each piece. Using the jug saw a started to Cut away all unwanted material, i didnt need to be as careful as i planned to use a fine and sander to ensure a clear, flat surface.

Step 2: Step 2 : Drilling

I decided to drill the holes next and using a simple own I marked on where I wanted them to go before using a screw to indent where I needed the hole to be, just to prevent the drill bit from slipping. Using the 10mm drill bit, I placed two holes at either end on the middle piece, one hole at the top of the first piece and one more on the last piece at the top.

Step 3: Step 3 : Sanding

The second most important factor in any product is the finish. And before any stain was added, I needed to sand all the surfaces. Using 100 grit sand paper I gently removed the cut marks left after using the jig saw and I rounded over some if the edges to acquire a softer appearance. Once the edges are done, I used 200 grit sand paper to get a smooth finish all over the lamp.

Step 4: Step 4 : Checking and Staining

Before any stain was added, I decided to quickly construct my lamp just in case I made any errors when actually cutting the pieces. I used three M8 Bolts and hex nuts to secure al of the pieces in the correct position. Once I was sure about both positioning and size, I began to stain.

To finish the wood, I quickly brushed off any sawdust from the surface with a rag and using a cloth, I dabbed on some oak, dark stain. I wanted a very dark surface, however, if you wish to have a lighter or even darker lamp then feel free to use lighter or darker wood stain.

Step 5: Step 5 : Construction

As mentioned in the last step, I used three M8 bolts to secure each piece together. On top of the three M8 bolts, I used three M8 nuts, and washers to ensure the bolts and nuts don’t indent the surface. Wingnuts would have been a much better choice.

Step 6: Step 6 : the Tin and Circuit

The tin was just an ordinary tin from the super market that I cleaned with s sponge and then went over with some wire wool to get rid of any other bits that the sponge missed. I drilled a 5mm hole in the top of the tin in the very centre. I then used the same drill bit to drill a hole in the top side of the tin. This is for the cord to exit the lamp.

The light is a very simple circuit I acquired from kitronik. https://www.kitronik.co.uk/2132-white-usb-lamp-kit.html I also added two long wires to the circuit as I didn’t want to mount the led directly to the circuit. To secure the circuit inside, I just used some double sided tape. I also used a few zip ties to attach the cable to the body of the lamp.

Step 7: Finished

Thank you so much for reading this Instructable, even if you clicked onto the by accident thank you. Every view counts. I love these mini projects as it gives you people, my viewers a quick and simple project to try at home, please feel free to comment, follow and favourite for more amazing Summer DIY projects like this one.